The Loerie Mini Marathon was held on Sunday 05 June 2011. Advertized as a non technical event, the reality was very different. The event was run over three laps of 15km and my Garmin log can be seen here. Andrew Briggs established the initial pace, and off the start, I knew I would have problems. The Epic legs have deserted me, and I have picked up a few Kgs from the Winter feast sessions.
The most interesting thing was riding behind the 29" Cannondale Flash of Andrew Briggs. He was dropping me on the downhills and even though I set the fastest lap of the day and held the lead after lap 1, I had burnt all my matches. I spent the rest of the race trying to work out:
1) Was it the Big wheels
2) Was it my Big Belly
3) Was he just the better rider
My conclusion is to marvel at the marketing appeal of the 29" format. First reaction is invariably that the 29er is a better bike for this sort of terrain. But, the reality is - nothing comes easy. Blaming it on the 29er is avoidance, avoidance of the need to train hard and watch my fuels.
From the above graphic, you can see I bonked badly on the third lap. I remain unconvinced on the Big Wheels / Talent combo and more convinced by the handicap of my big belly. In the context, I'll take the third placed that I bonked to.
Mtb racing is not about the competition, but, assessing where you are in relation to your genetic ability. For me its clear - I am still way short of where I could be.
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